Fly Repellent is one of the most important things an equestrian can buy; but why? Why do horses need fly repellent?
Horses are often bothered by flies and will instinctively use their tails, legs and wave their heads to keep them away. Fly repellent deters flies from the horse and the rider which keeps the horse calm and unbothered when being ridden or handled which is not only safer for the rider it also creates a better quality of life for the horse and causes them to respond better to being handled.
When horses are constantly swatting at flies, they are not focused on their performance, reducing their overall performance.
Flies are not only annoying to horses, but they can also cause painful skin irritations too. When flies land on a horse’s skin, and subsequently bites the horse, their bites can cause painful irritation, itching and even infection.
If a horse already has skin irritations caused by flies, fly repellent can help promote healing. By keeping the flies away, the horse’s skin can begin to heal naturally, without further irritation. Additionally, if a fly repellent contains an antiseptic, like Fly Free Equine does, the healing process could also accelerate.
Just as importantly, fly repellent keeps flies away from the rider leaving them unbothered and undistracted and therefore able to focus on what lies ahead of them whether it’s a competition or a gentle hack.
The increase in cooperation and comfort for the horse combined with the increased focus for the rider can then result in more success in competitions and more enjoyment while hacking.
Flies are also known carriers of various harmful diseases that can affect horses, including West Nile virus, Equine Infectious Anemia, and African Horse Sickness. These diseases can be severe and even life-threatening.
House flies in particular are strongly suspected of transmitting at least 65 diseases to humans, including typhoid fever, dysentery, cholera, poliomyelitis, yaws, anthrax, tularemia, leprosy and tuberculosis.
Fly repellent can help to reduce the number of flies around horses, reducing the risk of disease transmission to the horses and their handlers.
A good fly repellent will also deter Horse Flies which are much larger and cause a much bigger and more painful bite than smaller species of fly (Fruit Flies, House Flies, etc).
These bigger horse flies and their bigger bites often surprise the horse more and have been known to cause them to rear or bolt suddenly when bitten. The horse fly bite is also much more susceptible to infection than other types of fly bites due to the size of the wound.
Fly Free Equine manufactures and distributes equine fly repellent which all our customers say is more effective and affordable than other brands on the market and which also deters horse flies. Fly Free Equine is also endorsed by Adam Kemp (International Dressage Rider and Trainer, FBHS). To conclude, a good fly repellent deters flies from horses and their handlers which leads to an increase in comfort, quality of life, focus, performance, safety and health while also decreasing the risk of infection or disease to both horse and rider.
